Rostaniha
Year:2019 | Volume:20 | Issue:1 |Papers Count:9

In present study, eight isolates of the genus Curvularia, recovered from plants of the cowpea, maize and bottlebrush in Khuzestan province, were identified based on molecular phylogeny in combination with morphology. The mycelial biomass of the isolates, produced in potato-dextrose-Broth, were collected by passing through filter papers and freeze-dried. DNA was extracted using a phenol-and chloroform-based method. The partial regions of nrDNA and gpd were amplified using the appropriate primers and then sequenced. The consensus ITS and gpd sequences of the isolates under survey were compared to reference sequences of the type strains in GenBank by BLASTn algorithm and two-loci phylogenetic analysis. Accordingly, the isolates were identified at species level as follow: Curvularia americana, C. muehlenbeckiae, and C. verruculosa. To our knowledge, this is the first record of both the C. americana and C. muehlenbeckiae in Iran. Moreover, this study reports new hosts for all three species with further morphological and molecular characterization of C. verruculosa species as well.

The order Saprolegniales includes pathogenic species of aquatic and terrestrial plants and aquatic animals including fish. These straminipilous fungi play an important role as a decomposing component which participates in the destruction processes of organic substrates and self-cleaning biological processes in freshwater ecosystems. In this study, samples of brown decayed twigs, leaves, woods and infected spawns from various places of Fars province (Bahreghan, Bereshne, Dalkhan, Kaftrak, Polekhan, Sepidan, Seyyedan, Sarbast, Tang-e-Sorkh, Tang-e-Tizab, and Sheshpir) and Kermanshah province (Bisotun, Harsin, Paveh, Sarab Sahneh, and Sarab Qanbar), Iran were transferred to the laboratory during the fall and winter 2017– 18. Species were identified based on morphological and morphometric characteristics of sexual and asexual organs as well as the physiological and phylogenetic studies. Identified species were sequenced based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA and were analyzed phylogenetically by maximum likelihood method. Six species of Saprolegnia and one species of Achlya were identified including: Saprolegnia parasitica, S. ferax, S. anomala, S. aff. australis, S. mixta, Saprolegnia sp., and Achlya americana. Since Saprolegnia aff. Australis, and Saprolegnia sp. which were isolated from decomposing organic materials, were not related to any previously reported Saprolegnia species, therefore, they could be new species of Saprolegnia. Saprolegnia anomala, S. mixta, and Achlya americana were new to Iran mycobiota.

In order to investigate the oomyceteous flora associated with ornamental trees of Shiraz County (Iran), during 2017– 18, rhizosphere soil and plant debris of ornamented trees from various parks and green spaces of Shiraz County (including 11 districts) were sampled. Based on morphological, morphometrical and physiological analyses, three Phytophthora species, namely, Ph. cactorum*, Ph. capsici, and Ph. nicotianae*, five Phytopythium species including Pp. litorale, Pp. oedochilum*, Pp. ostracodes, Pp. palingenes† *, and Pp. vexans, and 11 Pythium species including Py. aphanidermatum*, Py. catenulatum*, Py. echinulatum, Py. hydnosporum*, Py. irregulare*, Py. kashmirense, Py. megalacanthum† , Py. middletonii, Py. nunn, Py. oligandrum, and Py. sylvaticum† were identified. Taxa with asteric were predominant and species with dagger sign were new to Iran mycobiota.

Little attention has been devoted to lichens of Kerman province (Iran). This study was conducted to identify lichens in the Kuh-Asiab protected area of Kubanan located in the northernmost part of Kerman province. In this study, eight sites were chosen in the area. Sampling was carried out according to Random method. Height data were obtained from each site along with the abundance of lichen species. In addition, number and density of species and cover percentage of the species were measured. Thirty-one species belong to 19 genera and two vegetative forms were identified. Both the Shannon and Simpson indices were calculated and compared for each sampling site. Species richness was calculated according to Margalef and Menhinick indices. Our results suggested that, lichen species richness and diversity were increasing with increasing height. The results also showed significant differences in species diversity and richness among sampling sites. The highest number of indicators was observed in sites with average height. Comparison of indices showed that, Simpson diversity was the best indicator for showing the situation of the community.

The genus Laurencia (Rhodomelaceae), a complex group, has 285 species and infraspecific names. Identification and taxonomy of these taxa, mainly has been based on flexible morphological characters which have led to a complicated taxonomy in this group. Nowadays, taxonomical study of this group has changed a lot by using reproductive characters, anatomical differences and modern molecular studies. In this study, the samples have been collected from some areas of the Persian Gulf coasts and islands of Hormozgan province (southern Iran). Afterward, their anatomical, reproductive and chemical properties have been examined. The outcomes revealed that, the Folin-Ciocalteau method can be utilized as a taxonomical character in ultimate identification and the confirmation among species and varieties of this genus. It became clear that, there is a meaningful difference between two samples which were under study due to measuring the amount of polyphenols and finally, L. obtusa var. mollissima was separated from type variety of L. obtusa.

In the present study, two species of rosaceous rust fungi are reported from Iran. Ochropsora ariae is newly reported for Iranian rust mycobiota. This is the first report of a member of the genus Ochropsora from Iran. Kuehneola uredinis is reported for the second time from Iran since its first report in 1958 under the name K. albida. Pyrus boissieriana is reported as a new host (matrix nova) for O. ariae. Rubus hirtus is also a new host for K. uredinis in Iran. Both identified rust species are documented by descriptions and LM photomicrographs.

In order to identify the endophytic fungi of some plants of the family Asteraceae, samples of Achillea filipendulina Lam. were collected from Golestan province (Iran) in spring 2016. The plants were rinsed gently with running water, and then were cut into 0. 5– 1 cm pieces. The surface sterilization was done by sodium hypochlorite (1. 5– 2. 5% NaOCl), followed by 75% ethanol. The surface sterilized samples were placed on Potato-Dextrose-Agar (PDA, Merck, Germany) containing 50 ppm tetracycline, and incubated at 25± 2 º C for 30 days. After purification, endophytic fungi was cultured on PDA and OMA (Oat Meal Agar) and exposed to 12 hr cycles of UV light and daylight for 14 days to stimulate sporulation. Their identification was based on morphological studies (Ahmed & Cain 1972, Arenal et al. 2005, Asgari & Zare 2010, Kornerup & Wanscher 1989). The method for measuring asci and ascospores and the terminology used for the descriptions are those used by Ahmed & Cain (1972). Based on morphological characteristics, Preussia africana Arenal, Platas & Pelá ez (Sporomiaceae, Pleosporales) was identified. A description of the fungus is given bellow: Colony reaching 70 mm diam. on PDA in 14 days at 25 ° C, dark brown to black. Ascomata 205– 288 μ m diam., scattered, immersed, pear-shaped, smooth-walled, light brown to dark brown with a narrow, cylindrical neck, 52– 60 × 20– 40 μ m, covered with ornamental hyphae measuring 12– 20 × 2– 4 μ m. Peridium brown, pseudoparenchymatous in surface view, and 10– 15 μ m thick. Asci 90– 110 × 16– 17 μ m, eight-spored, hyaline, cylindrical, gradually to abruptly tapering into a short stipe up to 4 × 13 μ m. Pseudoparaphyses 1– 2 μ m diam., filiform, septate. Ascospores 42– 43 × 3– 4 μ m, cylindrical, four-celled, middle cells of equal length and broader than terminal cells, germ slit parallel to slightly sinuous; gelatinous sheath hyaline and narrow (Fig. 1). In order to confirm the identification of this fungus based on molecular data, DNA extraction of examined isolate was performed by CTAB method, molecular analysis based on the ITS1-5. 8S-ITS2 region, 28S rRNA gene and a fragment of the translation elongation factor 1α gene amplified using primers ITS4/ITS5, LROR/LR5 and EF1-983F/Efgr. BLAST searches were conducted in GenBank. All sequences generated in this study are deposited in GenBank (Accession numbers: LSU = MH255557, ITS = MH250006, EF-1α = MK952151). Living culture of this fungus is deposited at the Iranian Fungal Culture Collection (IRAN 3262C) of the “ IRAN” herbarium. Preussia africana was reported for the first time from Canary Islands and Spain on leaves of Viburnum tinus subsp. rigidum (Arenal et al. 2005) and in this study, it is reported for the first time from Iran. Specimen examined: Iran: Golestan province, Chaharbagh, Isolated from A. filipendulina, 14. 5. 2016, coll. Sareh Hatamzadeh (IRAN 3262C).

A microalga from Chlorarachniaceae was found in the shallow runoffs of south Tehran. Morphological and intracellular structures were studied which in accordance with the identification key (Hirakawa et al. 2011), it is found to be a new species for Iran called Amorphochlora amoebiformis (Ishida & Y. Hara) Ishida, Yabuki & S. Ota. This alga has been derived and evolved from green algae and has resulted from the secondary endosymbiosis of a green alga with an amoeboflagellate. This symbiosis is result of two photosynthetic and amoebic properties appear simultaneously in this species. Having a triangular shape in normal mode with large number of pulsatile filose pseudopodia in the corners of the cell, changing shape from triangular to longitudinal while moving, lack of flagellum, coherent and relatively fast movements, metastatic behavior, twice larger than previous ones dimensions and adaptation to live in shallow runoff, are the characteristics of this alga. Cosmarium, Chlorella and Gleocapsa were companions of this species.